AN Army cadet has proved to be one of the best in the country, conquering health problems to earn his stripes.
Corporal Kyle Gilmore, 18, will be promoted after outstanding performances on exercises with Durham Army Cadet Force (ACF).
A senior cadet in D Company, Darlington Detachment, he has spent the summer involved in cadet force activities, shrugging off the hearing impairment and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) he has lived with since birth.
His achievements include being a Duke of Edinburgh award winner and a crack shot, and being a keen sportsman, enjoying rugby, football and athletics. He is also ACF discus champion.
He also combines his cadet activities with further education, and has just completed a BTEC National Diploma in public services at Darlington College of Technology.
Cpl Gilmore, from Darlington, said: "The reason I joined the cadets was because my granddad was a Desert Rat and was my hero. He was shot in the Second World War and lost a lung, but lived to the ripe old age of 83.
"I did not do very well at school and was a bit naughty as a child because of the ADHD. But the cadets and college have straightened me out and helped make me what I am today."
His college tutor, Helen Cook, said: "Kyle has shown great commitment to his course and the cadet force and great determination in overcoming his disabilities."
Cpl Gilmore's dream is to join the Army, but he is unable to pass the medical. He hopes instead to join the Prison Service when he is 21.
He said: "I am the type of person that never gives up and never lets anything hold me back."
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